Cutting roof sheet with wire - GIF

**Altair** · Jan 23, 2024, 07:13 PM

Cutting roof sheet with wire.

Previously:

Forming corrugated roofing sheets - GIF
Drill-powered tin snips - GIF
Sheetmetal shear drill attachment - GIFs
Corrugated roofing shear - GIF
Nibbler from angle grinder - video

**dbat74** · Jan 24, 2024, 05:48 PM

WOW amazing that anyone would post this.

**nova_robotics** · Jan 24, 2024, 06:47 PM

When I was in high school, me and a buddy of mine used an old piece of bicycle brake cable to do this to the windshield on his car. We pushed the cable through the windshield adhesive, one was on the inside of the car and one was on the hood. Then we just pulled the cable back and forth, the whole way around the windshield to break the glue seam. I can't remember if we ended up getting the windshield out in one piece. If I were to hazard a guess I would say we did not.

**bob_3000** · Jan 24, 2024, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by dbat74

WOW amazing that anyone would post this.

It's a tool that works, why do you need so much attention?

**odd one** · Jan 24, 2024, 07:30 PM

Probably around 29 gauge. Don't think it would work with much thicker. Seems you would have to snip the metal at the start to prevent it from just bending the sheet.

**Frank S** · Jan 24, 2024, 07:44 PM

The wire idea is not a bad one, but you really don't need the wire, just score a line with a box knife then rip the sheet by holding down 1 edge and pulling up on the other.

**odd one** · Jan 24, 2024, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by Frank S

The wire idea is not a bad one, but you really don't need the wire, just score a line with a box knife then rip the sheet by holding down 1 edge and pulling up on the other.

That is how I acquired a 6" scar on my lower leg. Pull up the sheet to rip and step forward to progress. After awhile, you can rip a sheet following a sharpie line without needing to score the sheet. A moment of inattention however, and that ripped edge is like a razor blade. I felt it bounce off of my shin bone, but it was so sharp, there was no pain. I used to put up metal buildings in Texas "Pakastani style" wearing shorts.....but not sandals. Would not change a thing.

**hemmjo** · Jan 25, 2024, 03:46 AM

Originally Posted by nova_robotics

When I was in high school, me and a buddy of mine used an old piece of bicycle brake cable to do this to the windshield on his car. We pushed the cable through the windshield adhesive, one was on the inside of the car and one was on the hood. Then we just pulled the cable back and forth, the whole way around the windshield to break the glue seam. I can't remember if we ended up getting the windshield out in one piece. If I were to hazard a guess I would say we did not.

I have removed lots of windshields from cars like that. I worked a couple years in an auto salvage yard. We all carried a roll of music wire, in our yard buggies. Very seldom broke one. It just take patience. Seemed like the only ones we ever broke were the "one of a kind" models where it was the only one we had in the yard. NEVER broke one if there were multiples available.

**Frank S** · Jan 25, 2024, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by odd one

That is how I acquired a 6" scar on my lower leg. Pull up the sheet to rip and step forward to progress. After awhile, you can rip a sheet following a sharpie line without needing to score the sheet. A moment of inattention however, and that ripped edge is like a razor blade. I felt it bounce off of my shin bone, but it was so sharp, there was no pain. I used to put up metal buildings in Texas "Pakastani style" wearing shorts.....but not sandals. Would not change a thing.

I'm not even sure Gillette can make their razor blades as sharp as roofing metal that has been ripped to size. I used to use a straight edge and a box knife to score the length of a sheet then fold up[ and down a couple times to break off the excess at the end of a roof. No power tool can cut faster. I've used circular saws with the blade on backwards. Does a great job but even military noise canceling ear muffs can't reduce than noise to a comfort level for me.

**odd one** · Jan 25, 2024, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by Frank S

I've used circular saws with the blade on backwards. Does a great job but even military noise canceling ear muffs can't reduce than noise to a comfort level for me.

Your not joking about that noise. I do not think I have ever created a louder racket than that, not to mention the shrapnel that it would throw even with an enclosed metal saw. I ended up buying a guillotine type sheer with the dies/blades of the profile of metal that I used....but that had its own issues.